Charities, For Truck Drivers By Truck Drivers

Here at HaulHound, we know the trucker community sticks together, especially in times of need. This camaraderie is vital since conventional charities are often unable to meet the unique needs of truckers and their on-the-road lifestyle.

That’s why we’ve compiled this list of charities for truck drivers, by truck drivers. These trucker-run charity organizations seek to fill the gap, from providing food and emergency shelter to planning for worst case scenarios occurring far from home. We hope this compilation helps you and your family find assistance when in a tough spot while providing a simple guide to giving back to your fellow truckers.

St. Christopher Truckers Relief Fund

Named after the patron saint of travelers, the St. Christopher Truckers Relief Fund (SCF) raises money for truck drivers who suffer health problems leading to financial hardship. This is a true weak spot for truckers who face multiple obstacles in maintaining regular doctors visits.

The SCF was founded in 2007 by radio personality Dave Nemo, a host on Road Dog Trucking on Sirius/XM radio, and his longtime friend Dr. John McElliot. Their website cites that more than 70% of the professional drivers on the road suffer from serious health problems that may end up putting them out of work, including obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and sleep disorders.

The charity says 47% of its funding is dispersed directly for rent or mortgage payments, while the rest goes toward utilities, vehicle payments, insurance and unpaid medical bills. SCF is also able to help negotiate lower medical payments, particularly for those without health insurance.

You can donate to or apply for assistance from the St. Christopher Truckers Relief Fund on their website at http://truckersfund.org/.

Trucker Charity

This simply named trucker-run charity helps the trucking community in several of ways. The most common way is locating and covering emergency housing and food for truckers who are stranded for any reason, such as inclement weather or health issues. They also run a centralized food bank in Illinois for any trucker passing through to receive up to three days’ worth of food.

Trucker Charity also offers educational services, including life coaching and mentoring as well as assistance creating living wills and other important legal documents.

They also recently started offering “Last Ride Home” services for truckers who pass away on the road. This assistance relieves a significant financial burden from grieving families who would otherwise have to pay for this transportation out of pocket.

Donations and applications for assistance are taken at their website at http://www.truckercharity.org/.

Meals for 18 Wheels

Meals for 18 Wheels is a charity that focuses on feeding hot meals, particularly around Thanksgiving and Christmas, when many truckers are unable to be at home with their families. They also frequently assist truckers who cannot afford food for any reason.

Truckers can contact Meals for 18 Wheels from anywhere in the country and a central coordinator will locate a nearby volunteer to deliver a home-cooked meal as soon as possible. Other times, volunteers will call or order online from a nearby restaurant or truck stop.

This charity is still in its initial growing phase and posts most of its immediate trucker needs on its Facebook page.

Truckers Final Mile

The need for this charity is often overlooked, but without it, many families are left struggling. Truckers Final Mile covers the costs of transportation for truckers who pass away far from home.

They also pay for families to travel to hospitals where a sick or injured trucker is located or to transport the trucker back home to recuperate. In some cases, they even pay for truckers to rush home if their loved one is in a crisis situation.

You can see the value of the incredible work by Truckers Final Mile in their testimonial section, which shows pictures and stories of departed truckers and how the charity was able to help their families.

You can donate or request help on their website at http://truckersfinalmile.org/.

Truckload of Respect

This cause allows truckers to pay their respect to veterans by delivering wreaths to 1,200 national veterans’ cemeteries each December as part of the Wreaths Across America program.

Volunteer truckers can sign up to deliver a truckload of wreaths at http://www.truckloadofrespect.com/.

Operation Roger

To end on a lighter note, this trucker-run organization helps unite—and even reunite—pets with their owners.

If a person finds their lost pet on a shelter list states away, a volunteer trucker can help bring Fido or Max back home. In other cases, people may find a new pet from a rescue or shelter far away. Either way, Operation Roger can bust Buddy out of the pound and bring him to his “furever home.”

Currently, Operation Roger runs with just 20-30 volunteer truckers who help transport cats, dogs and other small animals. If you would like to volunteer, you can apply at http://operationroger.rescuegroups.org/.

Whether you’re looking for a hand or just looking to give back to the trucking community, we hope this list of charities gives you the resources you need. Don’t forget you can help simply by raising awareness of these charities by word-of-mouth or on your social media!